4 Ways to Reduce Indoor Allergens

As spring rolls around, many of us face allergies to the pollen outdoors. But what about allergens we bring inside our homes? Use these four tips to make your home an allergen-free haven.

1. Don’t track in chemicals. Many of the chemicals in our homes, many of which can cause mild allergic reactions, are tracked in from outdoors. Make a strict no-shoe policy inside your home. Facilitate this wish by posting a cute sign near the door and making it easy for guests to remove shoes by outfitting your entryway with a bunch and shoe storage such as shelves, cubbies or baskets. Also make bedrooms off-limits to pets.

2. Control moisture. Moisture inside creates the ideal environment for mold and other allergents. To reduce moisture in your home, always run exhaust fans while cooking and for 30 minutes after bathing–condensation from bathing and cooking are two of the most common sources of indoor moisture. In basements, avoid materials where moisture can build up such as carpet and opt instead for hard materials such as concrete, ceramic, tile and stone.

3. Deter dust mites. Did you know the average bed is home to 100,000 to 10 million dust mites? To reduce the mites you’re sleeping with, wash sheets in hot water weekly (especially if you are dust mite-sensitive), air bedding outdoors when it’s sunny and pull back covers to air bedding before making the bed.

4. Air it out. If you have outdoor allergies, it’s wise to keep windows closed during allergy season. But if you find allergy symptoms strike indoors, open windows to ventilate your home whenever possible and turn on all exhaust fans. Fresh air and sunshine are great remedies for high levels of particulates, mites, moisture and chemicals.